Chris Alan’s face fell, but only for a moment. “Suppose the colors of the pieces in that move were reversed?” he exclaimed excitedly. “Is this what you’re saying: that starting from our present positions in the Cube, we could surround and eliminate Seth’s positions unexpectedly?”

“Indeed,” said the Admiral. “Now one last question: what is the weakness of go?”

“That’s easy. Microcosm or not, as the game is played, its board is finite. The Cube is likewise a finite grid, but Shet won’t stop with the Cube once he conquers it. In fact, by simply expanding his playing field he could outmaneuver our positions in the Cube long before we’re able to surround his own.”

“Precisely. That is why we must stop him, before he expands the grid of go indefinitely the way you can expand pentominos patterns indefinitely.”

**********

(Continued in The Birds of Prey Seven…)